Ohio State: Terrelle Pryor Suspended, Should Stay a Buckeye, Not Enter NFL Draft
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Terrelle Pryor, running back Dan "Boom" Herron, receiver DeVier Posey and left tackle Mike Adams were among the five football players suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season.
The players' suspensions will start after the Buckeyes' BCS bowl appearance in the Sugar Bowl, where they will face off against Ryan Mallett and Arkansas.
The NCAA used the reasoning that the players weren't educated adequately in the rules, even though there are six full-time "compliance officers" employed in Columbus.
I don't want to attack the players—they say they sold team memorabilia and other items to help family members in the tough economy—but with a great coach in Jim Tressel and the six guys who supposedly are employed just for this very situation, don't try to say the kids weren't taught what is illegal.
They also received improper benefits from the owner of a tattoo parlor.
Regardless of who's at fault, the situation changes the lives of each of these players, as each now has to consider whether to stay in school or enter the 2011 NFL Draft in April.
Here's how I think the situation will and should play out for Pryor and Co.
Terrelle Pryor: Should He Stay or Should He Go?
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Terrelle Pryor gets mixed reviews when it comes to his NFL prospects.
There's always a chance he gets picked early because of his incredible size:speed ratio, but there's no way a team could justify taking him as a quarterback early in the draft.
He's made great improvement in three years of action, but he still has a long way to go if he wants to be an NFL quarterback.
If Pryor truly does want to make it as an NFL signal caller, he should stay in school.
It'll be tough to sit out the first five games, but OSU will likely get by pretty well without him, and then he can step in and improve his technique and draft stock while leading the Buckeyes to their perennial BCS bowl game.
As long as he has any patience, Pryor should stay and continue to develop.
He's a bona fide star in college. There's no guarantee he'll do anything in the NFL.
But What Will He Do?
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If I had to take a guess, I think Terrelle Pryor will enter the NFL draft.
He's going to excite teams with his combine numbers, and someone is likely to reach for him too early in the draft.
Obviously, Pryor and his family need money, and no matter how highly he gets picked, he's going to make some serious cash.
Based on that, I bet he leaves Columbus.
What Position Will He Play in the NFL?
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Pryor is 6'6", 230 lbs. and apparently runs a 4.33 40-yard dash.
While I think that might be contrived, the fact is he's an incredible athlete.
But I don't think he'll ever be good enough to be an NFL quarterback. So where will he play in the NFL?
He doesn't have the quickness of a running back, he's too small to be a tight end and he's not big or strong enough to play defensive end.
My take? He should play receiver.
There aren't exactly 6'6" receivers running rampant in the NFL (in fact, I can't think of any), but Pryor is a special athlete.
He'd still have to get stronger and prove he can cut and run routes well (not to mention catch the ball), but he'd have a whole lot of potential as a wideout.
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Will He Have Any Success?
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Now the question is, will he do anything as a receiver in the NFL?
While I won't count it out, I have my doubts.
NFL coaches (and fans) are impatient with players' development, especially high-profile guys like Pryor.
So when he inevitably doesn't do much his first couple of years, people will probably write him off.
I think it's possible that if a team doesn't expect too much out of him for a while, he might develop, but that's a lot to ask.
In the end, I think Pryor will be a bust.
Where Will He Be Drafted?
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A team without a whole lot of needs that can risk a mid-round pick on Pryor should take a long look at him.
I'll say the Pittsburgh Steelers will take a flier in the fourth round, hoping to give Ben Roethlisberger the tall receiver he's been yearning for since Plaxico Burress left.
They had success converting Antwaan Randle El, so why not Pryor?
Should "Boom" Herron Enter the Draft?
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Dan Herron was the Buckeyes' leading rusher last season with 1,068 yards, 15 TD and a 5.6 ypc average.
He's 5'10", 202 lbs. and may have considered declaring even before the suspension.
But while he could potentially move into the middle rounds with a good combine, I don't think he should enter the draft.
But What Will He Do?
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I think Herron will enter the draft for the same reasons as Pryor.
Just because neither of them should doesn't mean they can turn down the money.
I see him dropping to the late fifth round.
What About the Other Three?
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DeVier Posey might be the best prospect of the five suspended players.
I think he'll declare too and ultimately get picked early in the third round, but he has potential to go earlier.
As for the other two suspended players, Mike Adams and Solomon Thomas (Jordan Whiting was also suspended for one game), they'll likely stay in school.
How Will the Team Do Without Them?
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Like I said, I see Pryor, Herron and Posey declaring, leaving OSU depleted at the skill positions.
Even with the Buckeyes' usual strong recruiting class, that's a lot of holes to fill.
2011 will be a "rebuilding" year for the Buckeyes, who lose three games and miss out on a BCS bowl.
Comments
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What do you think?
Who's at fault?
Should they have been suspended for the Sugar Bowl?
Will they/should they enter the draft?
Voice your opinion in the comments.
Matt Rudnitsky is a student at the University of Michigan and a Featured Columnist/writing intern at Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Mattrud
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